The government of the Indian state of Haryana has asked its cops to get fit or risk being transferred to Police Lines, media reports said on Friday.
In an official statement from Haryana’s home ministry, the overweight cops have been asked to transfer to Police Lines; they can return to duty once they get fit.
“Keeping in view the fitness of the officers and personnel of Haryana Police, Home Minister Anil Vij has issued written directions to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department that many of the police personnel in the police department have become overweight and by the time, their weight is being increased more, should be transferred to the police line,” the official statement by the Home Department read.
It further added that overweight cops can be put back on duty after they become fit through exercise.
Haryana is the second state which has asked its police personnel to get in shape.
Earlier this month, Director General of Assam G.P. Singh said in a tweet that the Body Mass Index (BMI) of all personnel will now be recorded as per the directions of state chief Himanta Biswa Sarma.
However, the authorities in Assam have also offered voluntary retirement to the cops who are habitual drinkers.
Singh also told the media that more than 650 police personnel who are obese and habitual drinkers have been identified.
The police personnel in Assam who are not ready to choose voluntary retirement will not be assigned field duty.
Meanwhile, Assam State Chief Himanta Biswa Sarma in April announced that around 300 policemen, who were habitual drinkers, would be offered voluntary retirement. Sarma’s announcement came in order to make the police force get fit in the state.